There chanced to be no other boats beyond the bend on this day. On either hand there were farms, but the houses were too far from the shores for the dwellers therein to notice the plight of the two small girls and the big dog in the bobbing cedar boat.
The shores at the river's edge were wooded for the most part, as was the long and narrow island in the middle of the river, not far ahead. This latter was called Wild Goose Island, as Tess and Dot knew.
"Maybe the boat will go ashore there," said Dot, more cheerfully.
"There are berries on that island," cried Tess. "Only they were not ripe when we were there last week." She was beginning to feel hungry; it was past midday.
"But we can't walk back to the tent from there," objected Dot.
"No-o," admitted Tess. "It'll be land, just the same!"
But the tide swept the cedar boat out from the lower end of the island and up the northern channel. It was this fact that hid the drifting boat from the anxious eyes of Ruth and Agnes when they came around the bend, expecting to see the missing craft. The island hid it.
Wild Goose Island was more than half a mile long. In the channel where the boat floated, the current of the river and the inflowing tide began to battle.
There were eddies that seized the boat and swept it in circles. The surface of the channel was rippled by small waves. The boat bobbed every-which-way, for Tess could not control the rudder.
"Oh, dear me!" gasped Dot. "I--I am afraid my Alice-doll will be sick. Do--don't you s'pose we can get ashore, Tess?"
But Tess did not see how they could do that, although the boat was now and then swept very close to the shore of the island.
The island was a famous picnicking place; but there were no pleasure seekers there to-day. The shore seemed deserted as the girls were swept on by the resistless tide.
Suddenly Dot stood right up and squealed--pointing at the island. Tom Jonah lifted his head and barked.
The bigger Corner House girl had seen the face break through the fringe of bushes on the island shore. It was a dark, beautiful face, and it was a girl's.
"Oh! oh! Let's call her," gasped Tess. "She'll help us."
The two small Kenways had a strong belief in the goodness of humanity at large. They expected that anybody who saw their plight would come to their rescue if possible.